U.S. Officials Believe No. 3 Al-Quaida Official is Dead

WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. officials believe al-Qaida's No. 3,Sheikh Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, is dead, killed by a U.S. Predatordrone strike in Pakistan's tribal areas within the past two weeks.

Al-Yazid is also known as Sheik Said and Abu Saeed al-Masri.

A U.S. official tells The Associated Press that word of theal-Qaida operative's death is spreading in extremist circles, andthat U.S. officials have "strong reason" to believe it's true.The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of thesensitivity of the operations.

Al-Yazid was the group's prime conduit to Osama bin Laden andAyman al-Zawahiri, and he was key to day-to-day control, with ahand in everything from finances to operational planning.

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